{"id":185676,"date":"2025-11-14T11:24:40","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T18:24:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/?p=185676"},"modified":"2025-11-14T11:24:43","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T18:24:43","slug":"how-to-build-a-reliable-maintenance-plan-before-tenants-move-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-to-build-a-reliable-maintenance-plan-before-tenants-move-in","title":{"rendered":"How to Build a Reliable Maintenance Plan Before Tenants Move In"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This article is presented by <\/span>RentRedi<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I first started managing my rental properties, maintenance requests would throw off my entire week. <\/span>A tenant would call, text, or email about something <\/span>being<\/span> broken<\/span>, and I would drop everything <\/span>and scramble<\/span> to find the right vendor, follow up for updates, and track receipts for bookkeeping.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This scramble was not sustainable, and I realized I needed a better system if I was going to continue self-managing my rental properties.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating a standard operating procedure (SOP) for handling maintenance requests is one of the easiest ways to streamline your property management and <\/span>take<\/span> the guesswork <\/span>out of<\/span> emergencies.<\/span> An SOP is <\/span>simply<\/span> a step-by-step document that outlines how a specific process should <\/span>be done<\/span>.<\/span> The SOP is a repeatable checklist that anyone on your team (or even a virtual assistant) can follow to keep things running smoothly\u2014and keep you out of the scramble mindset.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without a clear maintenance SOP, <\/span>small<\/span> issues can spiral into big problems. Requests can get lost in your inbox, vendors might forget to send invoices, and repairs could drag on longer than they should. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This<\/span> can be a problem<\/span>, <\/span>not only for you and your schedule, but for your tenants <\/span>as well<\/span>.<\/span> Tenants might feel <\/span>like they are <\/span>being<\/span> ignored<\/span> due to maintenance delays. <\/span>This<\/span> could lead to more complaints and potentially higher turnover. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For you and your finances, a lack of SOP can create problems. It becomes harder to track expenses, forecast budgets, or prove repair history for insurance or tax purposes without clear documentation in place. The result is a lot of unnecessary stress and inefficiency that <\/span>could be avoided<\/span> with a simple, repeatable process.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why You Need an SOP for Maintenance<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Consistency<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When every request follows the same process, nothing slips through the cracks. You\u2019ll know exactly where things stand with each repair, whether it\u2019s a leaky faucet or a broken furnace.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Time savings<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An SOP eliminates repetitive decision-making. You won\u2019t waste time figuring out what to do next, because you\u2019ve already mapped out your process for any request. <\/span>This<\/span> becomes especially valuable <\/span>when<\/span> you <\/span>start adding<\/span> more units or <\/span>hiring<\/span> help.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Better tenant experience<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tenants notice when you respond quickly and keep them updated. A clear maintenance system makes you look professional, builds trust, and encourages lease renewals.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Step-by-Step Maintenance SOP <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

RentRedi makes the tenant maintenance request process easy because everything can be handled directly inside the app, from the moment a tenant reports an issue to closing it out after repairs. Use this as a template or guideline to create your own SOP for your rental properties. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Request submission by <\/span>tenant<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Everything starts when your tenant submits a maintenance request through the RentRedi app.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tenant actions:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Opens the RentRedi app and selects <\/span>Maintenance Request<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Uploads photos or videos of the issue<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Describes the problem (location, details, urgency)<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Submits the request<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Automatic system actions:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. The request appears in your <\/span>Maintenance Dashboard<\/span><\/strong> in RentRedi.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. You receive an instant notification via email or app push.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      This system eliminates the back-and-forth communication that often happens over text or email, and keeps everything documented in one place. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2. Review and initial triage<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      As soon as the request comes in, review it carefully to <\/span>decide how urgent it is<\/span> and <\/span>what kind<\/span> of repair <\/span>it needs<\/span>.<\/span> Having the tenant send photos and provide more detail as an option in their portal gives you so much more to work with <\/span>in order to<\/span> diagnose the issue and know who to call. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      My maintenance person always wants to know what tools and materials he needs to bring. Having all this information helps <\/span>cut down the<\/span> back-and-forth questions.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Steps:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. Navigate to <\/span>Maintenance <\/span><\/strong>> <\/span>New Requests<\/span><\/strong> and open the submission.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Review the tenant\u2019s notes and attachments.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Assign a priority level:<\/span>\n